The Graduation
by Dr. Michaela Quinn
Summary: Jennifer is graduating from high school and everybody is there to support her only something unexpected happens on the day of her high school graduation.
1. Chapter 1

Family Ties

*Graduation*

Jennifer Keaton came down the stairs of her house into the living room and sighs. She sees on the couch her cap and gown for graduation the next day. She can't believe she's made it to graduation already. _I've made it, I've really made it_. Jennifer thinks to herself. Elyse Keaton walks in crying.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Jennifer asks her.

"You are graduating tomorrow Jennifer. It's a big deal for the heart to take. You won't be my little girl anymore." Elyse says. Jennifer sighs and gives her mother a look.

" I will always be your little girl mom, just like Mallory is and like Alex is still your little boy. Besides, Andy is still at home. He's 7. He won't be graduating for a few years now mom." After hearing his name Andrew "Andy" Keaton walks in to the living room carrying an ice cream cone.

"What? I heard my name." Andy says. Elyse grabs him, ice cream cone and all.

"Don't ever grow up Andy. I won't be able to take it." Elyse says. The door opens and Steven Keaton enters with Mallory.

"Look who I found at the airport." Steven says. Andy walks back into the kitchen to throw his ice cream away, a few minutes later Andy walks up the stairs after throwing his ice cream away.

"Mallory! How've you been?" Elyse asks.

"I've been good. I have been studying abroad in England." Mallory says. Despite Mallory's failure in school she managed to get a scholorship to a beauty school where she went for modeling.

"Where's Alex, Steven?" Elyse says with the worried sound in her voice.

"Elyse, he's okay. His plane hasn't come in yet. They said at the airport that some planes can be delayed but they are okay." Steven says. After Steven finishes his sentence Alex walks in from the kitchen.

"Hello family." Alex says in a nonchalant way.

"ALEX!" Jennifer hollers and she runs over to hug her big brother.

"Hi Jennifer. I can't believe that you are graduating from high school little sister." Alex says with a smile.

"Hey, I am not the one you should have been surprised by." Jennifer says and then they both look back at Mallory.

"What?" I had some problems in school, but they weren't bad," Mallory says, "I did manage to get into modeling school and now I am studying abroad in England."

"Let's see I went to business school and became very successful; you went to modeling school and have you actually had a modeling job yet?" Alex asks.

" I don't want to talk about it." Mallory says turning around.

"Alex, stop bothering your sister. Just because she didn't go to business school doesn't mean she can't be successful." Steven says.

"Alex." Andy says walking down the stairs.

"Squirt!" Alex yells as he picks him up, "you are getting big Andy. How are you?"

"Mom doesn't want me to grow up." Andy says.

"She didn't want me to grow up either." Alex says with a smile.

"Come on everybody. Dinner is on the table." Elyse says. They all walk into the kitchen to sit down and eat a meal together like they haven't done in years.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry it's been so long since my last chapter…

"What is everybody doing tomorrow?" Steven asks trying to start a dinner conversation.

"Besides the graduation, dad?" Jennifer asks.

"Is that tomorrow? I completely forgot!" Steven says in his usual forgetful manner.

"Where are you going to go to college, Jen?" Alex asks her taking a bite of mashed potatoes off his plate.

"I was thinking about staying around home and going to school here. I thought maybe dad's office could give me a job." Jennifer says. Steven chokes up some of his food.

"What? How come this is the first I have heard of this Jennifer?" Steven asks.

"I think it's a great idea Jennifer." Elyse says to her. Steven takes Elyse by the arm and just looks at her.

"What are you thinking?" Steven mouths to her. Elyse just nods and takes her arm from under his hand.

"I don't what Jennifer to leave!" Andy yells banging his fork on the table. Alex just looks at Andy.

"She's not leaving for a really long time buddy." Alex says to him. Jennifer just looks around the table and gets up.

"Jennifer, where are you going?" Elyse asks her.

"I am 18 years old, I don't have to answer that question anymore." Jennifer says in the most surprising tone.

"Yes you do. Now where are you going?" Elyse fights back.

"Out." Jennifer says. Then she grabs her coat off the rack in the kitchen, and walks out. Everybody just looks around at each other.

"What's going on with her mom?" Mallory asks Elyse.

"I really couldn't tell you Mal. She's just been like this the last several weeks, I don't know." Elyse says. The family continues their dinner. After dinner, and the dishes have been done, and they are sitting after dinner; they receive a phone call. Steven answers the phone after two rings.

"Hello. Keaton residence." Steven says. Steven listens to the person on the other end and his jaw drops.

"Steven, what's wrong?" Elyse asks.

"Dad?" Alex questions. Steven can barely get the words out of his mouth.

"It's… It's…

**It's to be continued!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Jennifer… She was driving down the road, on her way home actually. She was about 4 blocks from the house when she was hit head on by another car. They aren't sure if she's dead, but they can't get any kind of pulse or anything right now. They want us to come down to the hospital." Steven finally says. Elyse passes out into Alex's arms.

"I don't believe it. I don't believe it." Mallory says putting her hands over her mouth. Tears falling slowly down her cheeks. Steven takes Mallory in his arms. Andy doesn't understand what's going on.

"Where's Jennifer?" Andy asks. Everybody just looks at him and Mallory and Steven go over and hug him. Alex tries to lay his mother on the floor without hurting her.

"We need to go get Jennifer. We can't let her stay at the hospital." Alex says.

"But we can't leave mom lying on the kitchen floor either." Mallory says to him.

"Then what do we do?" Alex asks looking at Steven.

"You and Mallory take Andy and get into the back of my car while I try and peel your mother off the floor." Steven says to Alex.

"What's wrong with mom?" Andy asks just staring at her, and then looks up at Alex with tears in his eyes.

"She's going to be okay, bud. She just got some scary news. Let's go out to the car so we can get Jennifer." Mallory says since Alex is just looking down at Elyse himself. Alex is able to compose himself long enough to carry Andy from the kitchen table to the car. A few minutes after they get into the car, Steven and Elyse walk out to the car. Elyse is holding onto Steven for dear life.

"Mom, are you okay?" Mallory asks her.

"Mallory, let's just get to the hospital, get Jennifer and get back home." Elyse says staring into space, like she's trying to forget all this. As Steven gets in the car, Andy starts squirming.

"Andy, stop." Alex says. Steven finally pulls out of the driveway, and drives across town to the hospital.

"I remember the last time we were here Jennifer was getting her tonsils out." Steven says trying to lighten the moment. Elyse, Steven, Mallory, Alex, and Andy enter the hospital and go up to the front desk.

"Hello, my name is Steven Keaton. I was called about my daughter Jennifer. She was in an accident."

"Yes. Mr. Keaton, I am sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Jennifer Keaton died about 7 minutes ago." The receptionist says to him.


	4. Chapter 4

"Are you sure that it was my daughter? Jennifer Elyse Keaton?" Steven asks.

"Yes." The receptionist replies. Elyse crumbles to the floor.

"Mom!" Mallory says running over and falls at her side.

"Mallory, come on. We should take Andy home. We have to be bold for him." Alex says sitting down. Mallory just starts sobbing.

"Jennifer! Why have you left us?" Mallory screams across the hospital. People all over the waiting room are staring at them.

"Mallory! People are staring. Get up off the floor." Alex says trying to pull her up off the floor. She goes limp and he can't pick her up. "Fine, be that way." Alex looks at Andy. "Come on Andy, we are going home." Steven just looks at him.

"I wish you wouldn't go." Steven says. "Your mom and I need you." There are tears in Steven's eyes.

"Dad, I don't think I could stay here another minute. I'm not sure I want to be when they talk about Jennifer dying the day of her high school graduation." Alex says trying not to cry.

"Come on Alex!" Andy says pulling his hand out of the waiting room. Andy doesn't understand that Jennifer is gone. When they get outside and get into Alex's car, Andy starts crying.

"Where's Jennifer? Am I ever going to see Jennifer again?" Andy asks Alex. Alex breaks down and starts crying.

"Andy, I am sorry but no, we aren't going to see Jennifer again. She's gone forever." Alex says. Andy just starts crying.

"I never got to say goodbye! I never got to tell her how much I loved her." Andy squeals.

"None of us did Andy. It's a horrible thing that has happened to her." Alex says putting his hand on Andy's shoulder.

"Is she happy?" Andy asks innocently.

"I want to think that she's happy." Alex says putting his hand back on the steering wheel and backs out of the hospital parking lot.


	5. Chapter 5

A few hours later Mallory walks in the front door. Andy and Alex jump up and rush over to her.

"What's going on? Where are mom and dad?" Alex asks her. Mallory is dazed.

"Oh I don't know. They're somewhere. They could have gone out for coffee, I don't know." Mallory says slumping down to the floor.

"Mallory!" Alex hollers as he tries to catch his sister before she hits the floor. Alex and Andy drag Mallory from the floor over to the couch.

"Mallory, wake up. Wake up. Please, wake up." Andy says sitting on the couch next to her. He lays his head on her chest. "Don't leave me without saying goodbye! Wake up." Andy's eyes just start filling with tears.

"Come on Andy. Let's go outside. We'll go to the park." Alex says trying to pry Andy off of Mallory. Finally Andy lets go of her and Alex walks over to the door.

"What about keys?" Andy asks looking at Alex.

"We're walking to the park. It's not very far from here." Alex replies opening the door. Walking up the driveway are their parents. Elyse is crying on Steven's shoulder.

"Why is everybody crying?" Andy asks. Elyse reaches out for Andy and he walks over to her. She leans down and hugs him tightly. He tries to look at Alex. "What's gonna happen now?" Steven leans down to look at Andy.

"Well Andrew, we are going to try and do what we can to live the way we used to. The only difference is that Jennifer won't be here." Steven replies.

"Alex, were we going to tell them about Mallory?" Andy asks. They all look at Alex.

"What's wrong with Mallory?" Elyse questions.

"She's passed out on the couch." Alex replies with a laugh, pointing to the door. "She's okay; she was just worked up about Jennifer." Elyse and Steven stand up and rush into the living room.

"Will this ever end, Alex?" Andy asks.

"I hope so, Andy; I hope so." Alex replies picking up Andy.


End file.
